Former UGA golfers Russell Henley, Justin Bolli earn PGA Tour cards

Sunday

Oct 28, 2012 at 7:44 PM

MCKINNEY, Texas - Justin Bolli closed with a 6-under 65 on Sunday to win the Web.com Tour Championship, making him one of three players who moved into the top 25 on the money list to earn a PGA Tour card for next season.

Bolli, a former UGA golfer, was No. 44 on the money list going into the Web.com Tour's final event of the year. He earned $180,000 to move to No. 9 with his two-shot victory over James Hahn, who birdied the last hole for a 69. The top 25 on the money list earned PGA Tour cards.

"It's awesome," Bolli said Sunday. "I can't say that I expected it because I haven't been playing my best. But (Sunday) was just one of those days where everything went right for me and I just stayed out of my own way."

Russell Henley, another former UGA golfer who has won two events this year, made the cut at No. 3 on the money list with $400,116.

"I'm excited to take my game to the next level and compete with the best in the world," Henley said Sunday. "It's every golfer's dream to make it so it hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm really excited that I'm going to be out there next year and I think it's going to be a blast."

Three other former UGA golfers had a shot to earn their PGA cards - Hudson Swafford, Paul Claxton and Richard Scott - but fell short of making the cut. Swafford began the day at No. 23 on the money list before falling to No. 27 with $179,278. Claxton came in at No. 32 with $164,394, and Scott sits at No. 53 with $113,619.

Hahn was No. 13 and virtually a lock to secure a PGA Tour card going into the last round. But his final hole determined the fate of two players.

Adam Hadwin of Canada closed with a 65, getting up-and-down from behind the green on the par-5 18th at the TPC Craig Ranch for one last birdie.

He was projected to go from No. 48 to No. 25 on the money list and earn his tour card if he stayed in a three-way tie for second with Hahn and Morgan Hoffman, who closed with a 64.

Hahn's second shot into the 18th went well right of the green and onto a cart path. He took a free drop, and then lofted a chip that stopped just inside 3 feet away. Hahn knocked in the short birdie putt to finish in second place by himself. Hadwin, who would have made $74,667 for a three-way tie for second, earned $58,000 for his two-way tie for third. The difference was enough to allow Jim Herman to finish 25th on the money list.

Hoffman, who started the year with no status on the Web.com Tour, was No. 31 on the money list and easily cracked the top 25 to graduate to the big leagues. Doug LaBelle was at No. 26 and tied for 13th to move into the top 25.

"I attacked very well today," Hoffman said after posting the lowest score Sunday. "It worked out great. I'm sitting here happy now. I feel like I have to go to a Monday qualifier, it's so ingrained what I've been doing the last year-and-a-half. It just feels great."

Swafford (23), Joseph Bramlett (24) and Camilo Benedetti (25) fell out of the top 25. Their next stop will be Q-school for PGA Tour cards. Bendetti wound at No. 26, $940 behind Herman.

Bolli finished on 16-under 268.

Hadwin played bogey-free and knew where he stood after he finished. He went out to the 18th green to watch the finish and said, "I hate to wish a par for James, but I hope he does." That was the Canadian's only way to secure a card, only Hahn delivered a clutch chip for the birdie.

The birdie was meaningful for Hahn as he finished fifth on the money list, which will improve his priority ranking going into next year. Casey Wittenberg won the Web.com Tour money list, meaning he is eligible for The Players Championship and has guaranteed status all year.

This is the final year of the top 60 players from the Web.com Tour money list meeting in a Tour Championship to decide the 25 cards.

Next year, the top 25 on the Web.com Tour money list will be assured their PGA Tour cards, but they will join the next 50 players from the Web.com Tour money list and 75 players from the PGA who fail to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Those players will compete in four tournaments called "The Finals," where 25 additional PGA Tour cards will be awarded. Those who already finished in the top 25 on the Web.com Tour money list will be playing the four-event series to determine only their ranking for the 2013-14 season that will start next October.

The final event of that series will be played on the Valley Course at the TPC Sawgrass.